Midnight Moon
by AryaWinds
Summary: A new enemy has emerged, more powerful than ever before. Only the mages can destroy him, but they need to turn to an ancient prophecy for help. The only one who can help is a girl who doesn’t even believe in herself...
1. The Magic Begins

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters except the ones not in the books. The plot, new characters, and fanfic are mine.  
  
A/n: Hey to all who are reading this fanfic! I want to clear a few things up first ~ Lena is Selena's nickname. Aquene is pronounced Ah-queen-ee, and Orenda is pronounced as it looks - Or-end-ah. Thank you for reading my fanfic! Please R&R!  
  
Note to all my Ella Enchanted fanfic's readers and reviewers: I have NOT neglected Hidden Shining Stars, I am only writing this fanfic because I want to, and because I'm not getting as many reviews as I expected for my chapters.  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
Leap across the dangerous chasm  
To the ones who can answer our call  
And when they do hear, they will appear  
To rid the evil, once and for all  
  
When shadows still loom  
And hope is afar  
Call upon the moon  
And the blazing star  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
Selena bolted up in bed, sweaty and trembling. It was only a nightmare, she told herself, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. In her dream, an eerie, light voice had repeated those lines over and over again. This was the 6th time this week. What did it mean?  
  
Who are the ones who answer the call? And how would you call upon the moon - and blazing star? Unable to fall asleep again, Selena slipped out of bed and padded softly towards the window. Pulling aside the curtains, she found out that it was almost dawn anyway. The sun's rays were beginning to stain the clouds with a pink and peachy luminescence.  
  
I'll ask Aquene and Orenda what they think, Selena thought.  
  
Her thoughts wandered over to her best friends. Aquene and Orenda were identical twins and her two best friends forever. All three of them shared a secret that they had not dared to tell anyone else, ever. Magic. It had all started when . . .  
  
*****Flashback*****  
  
There was a rustling of leaves and a vicious growling. "I am a monster!"  
  
"Ahh!" Aquene screamed. "Monster!"  
  
"What? Where?" Lena asked, whirling around. She didn't see any monster.  
  
"I'm going to get you! I'm coming for you!" a voice roared from the side. Bushed rustled and the leaves trembled.  
  
Aquene, Orenda, and Selena all shrieked and ran around. "It going to eat us!" yelled Orenda, screaming her head off.  
  
"I'm going to eat you!" said the scary, loud voice.  
  
Selena stopped in her tracks. The voice sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it.  
  
Meanwhile, Aquene and Orenda looked terrified. They were about to bolt away from the meadow, but suddenly, more growls came out of the bushes near the only path where they could get out from. If they wanted to get out of the meadow, they had to take the path. But monsters were in the bushes near the path.  
  
The three girls all screamed. Aquene yelled bloody murder.  
  
Suddenly, there came laughing from the bushes. The girls all stopped immediately. Monsters didn't laugh.  
  
A boy tumbled out of the bushes, rolling about laughing. "Haha! You guys are so easy to scare."  
  
"Michael, I am going to get you back for this!" Aquene yelled.  
  
"And what about us?" sniggered another voice. Five more boys from their school were all standing and stepping out of the bushes that they had hidden in.  
  
"Ooh, you - you -" Orenda couldn't think of a good word to describe them.  
  
Aquene was fuming with anger. "You little - little - brats!"  
  
Lena didn't say anything. Her cheeks flushed crimson, and she was ashamed that she had fallen for the petty trick.  
  
Well, they HAD gotten the boys back at school. They had left scary notes in the boys' lockers and notebooks, pretending to be stalkers. And when the boys were all really nervous, they had broken the news to them, laughing their heads off.  
  
And now . . .  
  
"Lena!" Aquene and Orenda were both running towards her, out of breath and looking as scared as she had ever seen them.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" Selena was scared because her friends were scared.  
  
"I don't know - there was something back there - in that field -" Orenda choked out. "It was - like a duck - it talked!"  
  
"Talked?" Selena looked at her as if she were crazy. "How can it talk?"  
  
"It did!" Aquene cried out, nodding vigorously. Her curly black hair bounced around her shoulders. "It was weird! Come on!"  
  
Selena, though doubtful, followed her two friends, who were both racing towards the small river, near a grassy meadow.  
  
As soon as she got there, she heard someone - or something - talking.  
  
"Where is that dratted portal? I fell right through it - the Fairimentals should appoint someone to monitor the portals. They're not safe!"  
  
Aquene and Orenda both cast her wide-eyed looks.  
  
"Is this another joke?" Selena demanded her voice low.  
  
"I swear this isn't a joke." Orenda told her. Orenda was always honest.  
  
The three girls crept forward, and saw . . .  
  
"Ahh! Manticore!" yelled a voice. "Oh. Well, you aren't manticores. You scared me!" a small, duck-like creature stumbled out of the bushes. It looked rather funny, with a rubbery silver beak and feet too large for its body. The girls all leaped back, afraid.  
  
"What - what ARE you?" Lena asked suspiciously.  
  
"I'm a quiffle." The creature said proudly. "Are you mages?"  
  
"No - what's a mage?" Aquene asked. "We're humans. Girls."  
  
"Oh." The quiffle looked disappointed. "Well, I need a portal. It was nice seeing you!"  
  
"What's a portal -" Orenda started to ask. Suddenly, a bright swirling vortex appeared in the air above them. Colors swirled, blended, and then . . . they stared at the expanse of stars.  
  
"THAT'S a portal," replied the quiffle.  
  
"Wha - where does it lead to?" Aquene asked nervously.  
  
"Aldenmor."  
  
"Where's that?"  
  
"In the next nexus - far away from here." The quiffle said. "Oh, by the way, I think there's a manticore loose. I think one of them also fell through the portal. I was running from it when I stumbled through the portal . . ."  
  
"What is a manticore?" asked Lena.  
  
"A horrible monster," replied the strange creature, shuddering.  
  
"Well, go through the portal then!" Orenda said. "Then the um, manticore . . . won't be after you."  
  
"No, because it will be after you! Hurry, get through the portal!"  
  
The three girls glanced at each other. Then, they all jumped through the portal. What they didn't know was that it would change their lives forever.  
  
*****End of Flashback*****  
  
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A/n: Please R&R! Constructive criticism, tips, suggestions, and advice welcome! Also, if u liked this so far, please check out my other story, Hidden Shining Stars. Thnx to everyone! *~*~AryaWinds~*~* 


	2. Moving Away

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"Selena! Hurry up!" her mother called.  
  
"Coming!" Selena called back down to her mom. She was just sitting on her bed, doing nothing. Her room was bare, and all her furniture packed away in the moving van. There was nothing here, but she still didn't want to leave it.  
  
Aquene and Orenda had said their goodbyes yesterday. Selena longed to call them, to hear the familiar, chattering voices of her best friends, but she didn't want to go through all those tearful goodbyes all over again.  
  
Why do we have to move? She thought bitterly to herself. Just when she had made best friends, and the magic had brought them all closer together - now she had to leave this place. Probably forever.  
  
"Selena!" her mother yelled again up the stairs. "Lena, we have to go!"  
  
Selena sighed, and, casting one last look around her empty room, went downstairs. She got into the car without saying a word to her parents or older brother, and they pulled out of the driveway.  
  
She glanced back one time, back at the house where she had lived, where so many memories - of friends, of magic, and everything else - still lived. She was leaving everything behind.  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
"Stonehill Middle School," announced her father as he pulled up beside the school. It was a week since they had moved in, and school was starting.  
  
Lena and her brother, John, exchanged dismayed glances. Neither wanted to face the prospect of an entirely new school, new friends, new everything.  
  
"Come on." Lena said finally, climbing out of the car. They had to go to school sooner or later. Although later was more preferable . . .  
  
John, who was one year older than Lena, followed, slamming the car door. "Why did we have to move?" he whined. "I liked it back there. Here it's too . . . too . . ." unable to think of a good descriptive word, he fell silent.  
  
Lena looked around. Girls and boys her age were filing into the middle school. They were all talking and laughing, and comparing their summers. She felt a pang of homesickness, and she missed her two best friends. If she hadn't moved, she would be at her old middle school, with Aquene and Orenda, and they would be laughing and talking, and whispering about the magic.  
  
I bet no one here has the magic, thought Lena scornfully. Maybe that's why I don't like it here. I miss the magic.  
  
Even though her magic powers were always with her, she hadn't used it once since she had moved to Stonehill, Pennsylvania. It just wasn't the same without people to share it with. And she would never share it with anyone in her family. Only Aquene and Orenda could understand.  
  
She watched enviously as all the girls her age broke into separate groups of friends. A giggling, whispering quartet passed by her, talking excitedly.  
  
Lena turned around to say something to John, but couldn't find him anywhere. He had disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Well, Lena thought ruefully, John always did make more friends than her. More easily than her, too. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the crowd of students, which swept into the school.  
  
Within minutes, the crowd had dissolved, all the people going separate ways. Most of these people knew where the classes were situated.  
  
"Um, excuse me." Lena said timidly to a girl with raven-black, glossy hair. She was wearing a black tee that said, "Warrior" in sparkly stones.  
  
The girl swung around, and Lena saw that she had been talking to another, auburn-haired girl. "Oh, hi."  
  
"Sorry." Lena said hurriedly, "but I was wondering if you knew where room . . . F15 is?"  
  
"It's that way." The girl pointed to her right. "Take a turn, and it's the second class on the left. Are you new here?"  
  
"Yes." Lena said. "I just moved here a week ago. My name's Lena."  
  
"Adriane," replied the girl, smiling.  
  
"I'm Emily," offered the auburn-haired girl whom Adriane had been talking to. "I know what it's like to be new. I was new here a while ago, too. I moved from Colorado."  
  
"I'm from Connecticut," said Lena.  
  
"What do you think of Stonehill so far?" asked Adriane.  
  
"It's scary. Different." Lena agreed. "I'm not used to it yet."  
  
"Don't worry. Stonehill is really nice. You'll love it soon enough." Emily assured her with a smile.  
  
Somehow, Lena doubted that, but she was glad to have finally made some friends.  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
It was lunch, and Lena hadn't seen either Emily or Adriane all day. It seemed that they had totally different schedules.  
  
She got on the lunch line, and then spotted both of the other girls talking with another girl, who had blond tresses and sparkling blue eyes.  
  
Lena hesitated a moment, then crossed over to them, hovering nearby, waiting for them to finish their conversation with the other girl.  
  
She overheard snatches of their conversation as she stood there, listening.  
  
"Lyra says there's a new evil," the blond girl said urgently.  
  
"I know, Kara, but we really have to wait until something comes up. The Dark Sorceress wasn't finished yet, even when we defeated her a second time," replied Adriane in a low voice.  
  
"Ozzie's trying to calm down the quiffles and other animals. They all sense something. Like they sensed the manticore the first time." Kara said.  
  
Lena stood stock-still. They couldn't be talking about what she thought they were talking about, could they? Magic? Was it possible - could it be possible that there were more mages, here in Stonehill?  
  
"Shh!" Emily said suddenly. She looked up, and saw Lena. "Oh, hello, Lena. I don't think you've met Kara?"  
  
Kara gave Lena one of her brilliant smiles. Lena smiled back, although she was uncertain what to think of everything.  
  
"Um . . . by any chance, were you talking about quiffles? And manticores?" Lena asked finally, unsure of any other possible way to word it.  
  
The three other girls all exchanged glances. "Yes." Kara piped up. "We were."  
  
Adriane shot her a warning glare, but Kara sent her back an I-know-what-I'm- doing look.  
  
Lena waited.  
  
"You see, we had a play a while ago, and there were unusual characters there. And there was one wacko kid talking about magical creatures, and something like quiffles." Kara said smoothly.  
  
Even Adriane looked impressed with the quick thinking. Lena wouldn't be able to find them out - she hadn't been there for the play.  
  
"Oh." Lena said.  
  
"Hey, do you, uh, want to sit with us?" Emily asked brightly.  
  
"I'd love to." Lena said gratefully. She followed them outside, with her tray, and the four of them found seats under a large tree. Three more girls joined them.  
  
"Hey, nice outfit!" exclaimed one of them, a redhead, to Lena.  
  
"Thanks." Lena said uncertainly.  
  
"Let me introduce you to Lena." Kara said to the new girls. "Lena, this is Molly, Heather, and Tiffany."  
  
"Nice to meet you," chorused the three girls.  
  
"Cool necklace, too," added Tiffany.  
  
Lena fingered her necklace, which was one she had woven herself. She had attached her own magic stone, the Wind Crystal, to it. Aquene and Orenda, back home, had identical necklaces, with their own magic stones, the sun stone, and star jewel.  
  
"Thank you." Lena said sincerely. She saw Emily, Adriane, and Kara glance at her necklace, and saw Adriane choke on her food, Emily drop her milk, and Kara's eyes widen. Emily's drink spilled onto the table, causing Molly, Heather, and Tiffany to squeal and jump backwards to avoid the milk.  
  
Emily and the other managed to clean it up, and Emily apologized.  
  
"Where did you get that jewel?" Kara demanded.  
  
"I - found it." Lena answered vaguely.  
  
"Where?" Kara persisted.  
  
"Oh, I got it from a friend, for a present." Lena lied, trying to avoid the questions.  
  
The other girls fell silent. They were all thinking their own thoughts. Who was this new girl? Why did she have a magic jewel? And what did this mean?  
  
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A/n: Done with this chapter! Love it? Hate it? R&R it!! 


	3. Lurking Danger

A/N: I was going to reply to all my reviewers for Chapter 1 of this story, but I forgot and I am so sorry! (Not only that, I deleted the Review Alerts . . . oops.) But anyway, I have them now and I'm going to respond to all my reviewers.  
  
A/N 2: IMPORTANT NOTE!!! I've forgotten to mention something again . . . this fic goes all the way up to All's Fairy in Love and War. Okay, I'm done . . . I think.  
  
*****  
  
Fire of Wolves ~ Thanks! I'm so glad u like it so far. I've been busy, though, with HSS and SD. Maybe I shouldn't have 3 stories up at the same time. LoL.  
  
Holly Night ~ No, I've never read "Eragon", although I will as soon as I get a chance. Is it a good book? So, no, I didn't get the name from "Eragon". To tell u the truth, I don't even know which name you're talking about. LoL. But thanks for the review!  
  
Aviastar ~ Yes, of course I'll have Emily, Adriane, and Kara in my fanfic! (As u might have already figured out, from Chapter 2) Hehe.  
  
fasfvawgkeroi ~ I'm trying! It's kinda hard, though. I'm in the middle of 2 other fanfics that have a lot more reviews. I'm trying though, to do everything. One can only do so much *sigh*. LoL.  
  
Adriane-the-Warrior ~ Thanks! I'm glad that u like my fanfic, and I'm updating as soon as I can.  
  
Sarah ~ Thank u! I'm glad u like it!  
  
Megan ~ I'm going to, later on. It really depends on how well it'll fit into the plot, u know? Thnx for the review!  
  
DIrnaucyoasha whos cuter ~ Thanks for reviewing, and I'll read ur story as soon as I can.  
  
MoonSeaEarth ~ Cool name! And glad u like it, and I'm busy updating now.  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
"Why do portals keep on opening for no reason?" Kara complained as she ran out into the field with Lyra at her heels.  
  
Emily, Adriane, Ozzie, and Dreamer followed.  
  
"Hey, it's closed now." Emily said, frowning. "But Ronif said it was open just a minute ago! And we all felt the portal's magic."  
  
"We all sensed it also," added Balthazar, a pegasus, emerging from a clump of bushes with Ronif and other trailing quiffles.  
  
"It was dark magic." Ronif said. The other quiffles nodded their agreement, silver rubbery beaks flapping.  
  
Adriane looked worried. "I think we should contact Zach on Aldenmor. We need to know what's going on."  
  
"And Lorren. He'll know." Kara added eagerly. "As a goblin-prince, and part of the council, he should know."  
  
Emily rolled her eyes as she looked at her two friends, torn between amusement and exasperation.  
  
"Should we do it now?" Kara asked.  
  
"The sooner the better." Adriane said practically. "We need to get to the bottom of this mystery, quick, before things get out of hand. So call the D'flies, Barbie."  
  
Kara made a face at her, and then closed her eyes and called out in a sing- song voice, "Yoo hoo! D'flies, front and center! Goldie, Barney, Fred, Fiona, Blaze . . ."  
  
Before she had even finished, the air was filled with many multi-colored bubbles. Little dragonflies appeared, and as soon as they saw the mages, they made a beeline for them.  
  
"Kaa Waa!" squeaked Goldie, a little gold mini-dragon, swooping over Kara's head and landing on her shoulder.  
  
"Hello to you too, Goldie," Kara said, smiling, as she gave the D'fly a pat on the head. "We need to contact Zach and Lorren on Aldenmor. Can you do that for us? Make us another portal?"  
  
With a chorus of squeaks and chirps, the dragonflies linked tiny claws, and began to spin around in the air.  
  
Color blossomed from the tiny portal, and expanded, showing a garden of colorful flowers, before a face popped into view. "Adriane? Is that you?"  
  
"Zach!" Adriane exclaimed. "Hi!"  
  
"I missed you." Zach said with a grin.  
  
Adriane blushed. "Me too. And it's only been a week since we left Aldenmor again."  
  
"So . . . is this just a chat or something important?" Zach inquired.  
  
"Important. Has anything . . . odd been happening over there? Because portals are opening for no reason over here. The magical animals all sense dark magic." Adriane said.  
  
He looked thoughtful for a minute. "Nothing new. The council is keeping everything under control. Nothing's wrong."  
  
"Anything from the Dark Sorceress?" asked Emily, her auburn head pushing her way into the small portal frame.  
  
"Not yet. I'm guessing that she's laying low for a while." Zach replied.  
  
"Done yet?" Kara asked impatiently.  
  
Adriane looked amusedly at her friend. "Fine. You get to contact Lorren." Turning back to Zach, she smiled. "Bye. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"See you." Zach told her, smiling warmly.  
  
Kara pretended to make a gagging noise in the background.  
  
Adriane glared at her as the portal swirled closed. "Shut it Barbie."  
  
Kara gave a cheerful smile. "Whatever you say, Xena. I'm calling Lorren."  
  
"Yes, well, we don't want to keep you from your love, do we?" Adriane said, smirking.  
  
Now it was Kara's turn to glare. "Watch it."  
  
Emily just rolled her eyes. "Come on, we have something important to do here!"  
  
The portal was opened a second time by the dragonflies. This time, the view showed a scenic place. A stream flowed gently, and flowers of every color and variety possible glistened in the sun.  
  
"Kara?" a voice asked. The view shifted to a very cute boy. He looked normal enough – except he was green.  
  
"Lorren!" Kara said delightedly. "Hi!"  
  
"How are you?" he asked politely.  
  
"I'm fine -" Kara began.  
  
Adriane nudged her. "Important mission here!" she hissed.  
  
"Oh! Um, never mind about me. We have a question. Do you know anything about what's happening with the Dark Sorceress and the Spider Witch or anything? Cause strange things are happening here." Kara said quickly.  
  
"No . . . the council hasn't gotten any new information that you don't already know." Lorren mused. "I'll contact you if we do, though."  
  
"How?" Kara asked skeptically. "The D'flies only come for me."  
  
"We have our ways." Lorren said, grinning.  
  
"Okay." Kara said. "Well, then, talk to you soon!"  
  
The portal vanished and the mini dragons scattered, squeaking.  
  
The three girls looked at each other.  
  
Emily voiced the question they were all wondering. "Now what?"  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
The magical animals faded away, back to the magical glade, and the three girls walked back towards Ravenswood manor, deep in conversation about what they should do next.  
  
None of them turned around. If they had, they would have seen the silent shadow hiding behind a clump of bushes nearby.  
  
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A/N: I'm sorry this is such a short chapter. I'm having a major writer's block on this story! But I'll try and update ASAP. For now, just please R&R!! Luv ya all! *~*~AryaWinds~*~* 


	4. Questions

Fire of Wolves ~ Thank you so much!!! And I'll be keeping this story, so I'll update. ;)  
  
Insane Angel Author ~ Thanks! *beams and bows to the audience*  
  
AuriellaStella, Queen of Magic ~ Thank u for reviewing every chapter! U rock!  
  
*****  
  
A/n: Is it just me, or do pplz on other book sites review a lot more? I mean, pplz in this section don't review much, do they? Just wondering *scratches head, deep in thought* Lots of fics are pretty good but don't have many reviews. Like WarriorofAvalon, 4 example. Ok, I'll stop ranting and let u read.  
  
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Lena emerged from the bushes, shaken after what she had seen. She had believed that no mages existed besides her and Aquene and Orenda.  
  
Obviously, she was wrong.  
  
There were other mages, here in Stonehill.  
  
What should she do now? Lena considered her options. She could tell the mages that she also had the magic, or she could continue to keep it a secret, or . . . she couldn't think of another option.  
  
I'll tell later, she decided. She had to find out more about these . . . Stonehill mages first.  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
"More emails!" Emily said cheerily from her seat in front of the large computer in Ravenswood Manor's library.  
  
"That's nice." Kara said absentmindedly. She was busy typing IMs to her friends, Molly, Tiffany, and Heather.  
  
Kstar: So what's going on?  
  
Credhed: Hey, Kstar, just chillin' out  
  
Beachbunny: Where are u Kara?  
  
Goodgollymolly: U missed dance!  
  
Kara's fingers flickered over the keyboard on her pink computer.  
  
Kstar: I'm @ Ravenswood  
  
Goodgollymolly: Again? How much time do u spend with those girls? (  
  
Credhed: Yea, u've been ignoring us L8ly!  
  
Kstar: I g2g, L8rz all!  
  
Before Kara could sign off, another IM pinged on her screen. She clicked on it.  
  
Soccerplayer42: hey Kara, mom & dad r gonna b home soon. Get back ASAP  
  
Kstar: Kyle! Tell them I'm @ Ravenswood, organizing something  
  
Soccerplayer42: k. btw, some person left a weirdo message for u  
  
Kstar: What? Who?  
  
But Kyle had already signed off. Kara sighed, frustrated. Who would leave a weird message for her?  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
"Hello? Anyone home?" Adriane asked, waving her hand in front of Kara's face. Kara snapped out of her thoughts. "What?"  
  
Adriane put her hands on her hips. "What is with you, Barbie? You've been thinking a lot lately."  
  
"It's a talent, being able to think," Kara retorted.  
  
"About what?" Emily called over from the computer console.  
  
"Nothing. Hey, are we done here? I've got to get home."  
  
"Yeah, and I've got to go too." Emily added. "Mom's making lasagna."  
  
"Lasagna . . . yum!" Ozzie contributed.  
  
Lyra purred. "Let's go, Kara."  
  
"Okay. See you all around!" Kara slung her pink backpack over her shoulder and bounced out of the library. Outside Ravenswood Manor, however, she stopped. A prickling sensation crept up her spine.  
  
"Do you feel something, Lyra?" she whispered.  
  
Lyra growled. "I sense a presence." She sniffed the air. "But . . . it's gone now."  
  
"Is it bad?" Kara asked. She inched closer to the spotted leopard, leaning into Lyra's warm presence. It gave her a feeling of security.  
  
"It's gone. I can't tell." Lyra answered.  
  
"Let's hurry up." Kara said. She began walking fast, wanting to get as far away from the mysterious presence as possible.  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
When Kara got home, the first thing she heard was music. Rock music blasted from Kyle's room, echoing through the house.  
  
Kara deposited her backpack in her room, and then stormed towards her brother's room. Opening the door, she had to yell to be heard. "KYLE! Turn down the volume!"  
  
Her brother smirked and turned the volume lower. "What?"  
  
"I can't hear anything." Kara muttered. "Where's mom and dad? You said they'd be home."  
  
"I was wrong." Kyle said. "They called again to say they had a conference right after."  
  
"You called me back from Ravenswood for NOTHING?!" Kara demanded.  
  
"Hey, you were at Ravenswood?" spoke up a voice. For the first time, Kara noticed Joey and Marcus in the background.  
  
"Where'd you guys come from?" she asked, frowning.  
  
"From school." Marcus grinned at her.  
  
For the first time ever, Kara didn't feel the warm, tingly sensation that usually flowed through her whenever he smiled at her. What did that mean?  
  
"Joey wants to know where Adriane is." Kyle said, smirking at his friend.  
  
Kara frowned again. "At Ravenswood."  
  
"Joey wants to ask her out." Marcus added teasingly.  
  
Joey blushed. "So?"  
  
Kara glared at the boys. "Don't ask Adriane," she told Joey.  
  
For some reason, she didn't think Adriane and Joey would go well together. She was convinced that Zach and Adriane would make a much better couple.  
  
All the boys stared at her. "Why not?" Kyle demanded.  
  
"Because . . . because . . ." Kara couldn't find a good enough reason. Because Zach knew magic? Because Zach loved Adriane? Because Joey and Adriane just didn't clash?  
  
"I don't think I will anyway," Joey muttered, blushing deep red.  
  
Kara spun around and left.  
  
She went and listened to the message on her answering machine. Whoever it was hadn't left a name. "Kara. I know you're a mage and that you can open portals to Aldenmor. I'm leaving a message because I know you're at Ravenswood. Don't worry, I'm not stalking you, and I just want you to know that your secret is safe with me." Then, there was a click. Whoever it was had hung up.  
  
Kara leaned back, puzzled. Who was that? Who would leave such a strange message? She felt a fear sweep through her. Lyra growled by her side. The person hadn't even spoken a name! And the voice sounded . . . odd, like no one she knew. She couldn't even tell through the phone whether it was a girl or boy.  
  
What was is supposed to mean?  
  
*~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~**~*  
  
"What was that supposed to mean?"  
  
Kara looked up as someone echoed her thoughts. Kyle was leaning in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, glaring at her.  
  
Kara gulped. Had Kyle heard the message? Did he know what it meant? Thoughts and questions tumbled through her head. But Kara knew that one thing was going to be inevitable: she was in trouble.  
  
"Why did you tell Joey that?" Kyle said, still staring at her.  
  
"What?" Kara didn't get it for a moment. When she finally realized it, the relief swept through her. Kyle hadn't heard the message!  
  
"Why. Did. You. Say. That. To. Joey." Kyle said slowly, as if she were dumb.  
  
"Oh – I . . . uh . . . thought that Adriane might, like, I don't know, turn him down, so I told him not to ask her," Kara said, feeling rather disoriented.  
  
Kyle looked at her, and then spun around and stomped off to his room.  
  
Kara sank down on her bed, and breathed more easily. So far, Kyle didn't know anything about the mages – yet.  
  
"Hey, Kara!" Kyle yelled from his room. "I DID hear that message, you know!"  
  
Kara bolted up so fast from her bed that she tumbled to the floor. "What?!" she shrieked at him.  
  
"Just what I said." Kyle said, appearing again at her doorway and smirking at her. "I heard that message."  
  
Kara felt queasy all of a sudden. "It was a prank call," she said quickly.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Kyle scoffed. He left.  
  
Kara sank down onto the floor of her room. What was going on? What was the dark magic the animals felt? Who had left the message? How did they know they were mages? How did he/she know that Kara was at Ravenswood? What did Kyle know? And what wasn't he telling her?  
  
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End file.
